Concert to benefit effort to save closed churches

A local group of volunteers seeking to repurpose Cambria City's closed churches will offer a second chance to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day this weekend.

Save Our Steeples will host a concert featuring Irish music at the former Immaculate Conception Church, 308 Broad Street, March 27 at 4 p.m.

The concert will feature performances from bagpipers Jeff DeLisa and Tom Bogler, dancer Paige Hockyco, The Irish Pretenders and folk and Celtic music from the Saint John Gualbert Music Ministry.

The event will raise funds to help cover the cost of utilities in the vacant church.

Previous concerts, Save Our Steeples member Rose Howarth said, helped pay for a charrette held last year to identify new uses for the former Altoona-Johnstown Diocese churches.

“After the charrette the diocese said they can no longer afford to pay for the utilities at the vacant churches,” Howarth said. “We negotiated with them to keep Immaculate Conception open, and we would help pay for some of the utilities.”

Each of the three fundraising concerts Save Our Steeples has held so far has been met with success, Howarth said.

“Most of the concerts we've had there have almost sold to capacity. It would be wonderful to see the church full again.”

Tickets are $10 and are available at Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center, 411 Third Ave. in Cambria City, or at the door.

A reception with food and beverages at Bottle Works will follow the concert.

Howarth thanked the arts center and the diocese for assistance in organizing the event.